| 1. |
- Xu, Yiyi, et al.
(författare)
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Associations between long-term exposure to low-level air pollution and risk of chronic kidney disease—findings from the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort
- 2022
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Ingår i: Environment International. - : Elsevier BV. - 0160-4120 .- 1873-6750. ; 160
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Associations between air pollution and chronic kidney disease (CKD) have been reported, but studies at low exposure levels and relevant exposure time windows are still warranted. This study investigated clinical CKD at low air pollution levels in the Swedish Malmö Diet and Cancer Cohort in different exposure time windows. Methods: This study included 30,396 individuals, aged 45–74 at enrollment 1991–1996. Individual annual average residential outdoor PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and black carbon (BC) were assigned using dispersion models from enrollment to 2016. Diagnoses of incident CKD were retrieved from national registries. Cox proportional hazards models were used to obtain hazard ratios (HRs) for CKD in relation to three time-dependent exposure time windows: exposure at concurrent year (lag 0), mean exposure in the 1–5 or 6–10 preceding years (lag 1–5 and lag 6–10), and baseline exposure. Results: During the study period, the average annual residential exposures were 16 μg/m3 for PM10, 11 μg/m3 for PM2.5, 26 μg/m3 for NOx, and 0.97 μg/m3 for BC. For lag 1–5 and lag 6–10 exposure, significantly elevated HRs for incident CKD were found for total PM10:1.13 (95% CI: 1.01–1.26) and 1.22 (1.06–1.41); NOx: 1.19 (1.07–1.33) and 1.13 (1.02–1.25) and BC: 1.12 (1.03–1.22) and 1.11 (1.02–1.21) per interquartile range increase in exposure. For total PM2.5 the positive associations of 1.12 (0.97–1.31) and 1.16 (0.98–1.36) were not significant. For baseline or lag 0 exposure there were significant associations only for NOx and BC, not for PM. Conclusion: Residential exposure to outdoor air pollution was associated with increased risk of incident CKD at relatively low exposure levels. Average long-term exposure was more clearly associated with CKD than current exposure or exposure at recruitment. Our findings imply that the health effects of low-level air pollution on CKD are considerable. © 2022
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| 2. |
- Atakora, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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Assessment of Workers' Knowledge and Views of Occupational Health Hazards of Gold Mining in Obuasi Municipality, Ghana
- 2020
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Ingår i: International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health. - : Occupational Health and Safety Society of Nepal. - 2738-9707 .- 2091-0878. ; 10:1, s. 38-52
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Small-scale mining in Ghana has been a major community and national concern due to its contribution to the destruction of farmlands and bodies of water, and to the loss of human life. Small-scale mining exposes workers to varying degrees of health hazards and problems.Objectives: The study aimed to assess the knowledge and views of workers about the occupational health hazards and problems related to small-scale gold mining in Obuasi Municipality, Ghana, to help improve workers' safety at the mining sites.Methods: A cross-sectional study was done between May and December 2011. Simple random sampling was used to select 150 small-scale miners take part in this study. The workers were asked about their knowledge and views of occupational health hazards and problems related to gold mining. Data were entered with EpiData Entry 3.1 and analyzed using Stata 11.Results: Most workers (95, 63.3%) had low knowledge of occupational health and safety regulations. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that knowledge about regulations was associated with level of education (OR = 8.5; 95% CI: 7-10.5). The common effects of mining that workers expressed awareness of were land pollution (30%), water pollution (28%), air pollution (18.7%), and noise pollution (16%). The factors influencing exposure to health hazards related to mining were low educational levels (14%), little work experience (30.7%), incorrect handling of equipment or chemicals (26%), poor law enforcement (12.7%), and negligence (16.7%). In general, occupational lung disease (16%), occupational hearing loss (14%), heat illnesses (12%), eye infections (16%), malaria (24%), and skin infections (18%) were the most common health problems study participants mentioned.Conclusion: High levels of occupational health hazards and problems related to gold mining exist among workers in private mines. Safety program should be offered as part of associated public health programs to limit the most significant risks. We further recommend education and training on regulations and the use of personal protective equipment.
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| 3. |
- Kumar, M., et al.
(författare)
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A study of trace element contamination using multivariate statistical techniques and health risk assessment in groundwater of Chhaprola Industrial Area, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
- 2017
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Ingår i: Chemosphere. - : Elsevier. - 0045-6535 .- 1879-1298. ; 166, s. 135-145
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study is an investigation on spatio-chemical, contamination sources (using multivariate statistics), and health risk assessment arising from the consumption of groundwater contaminated with trace and toxic elements in the Chhaprola Industrial Area, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. In this study 33 tubewell water samples were analyzed for 28 elements using ICP-OES. Concentration of some trace and toxic elements such as Al, As, B, Cd, Cr, Mn, Pb and U exceeded their corresponding WHO (2011) guidelines and BIS (2012) standards while the other analyzed elements remain below than those values. Background γ and β radiation levels were observed and found to be within their acceptable limits. Multivariate statistics PCA (explains 82.07 cumulative percent for total 6 of factors) and CA indicated (mixed origin) that natural and anthropogenic activities like industrial effluent and agricultural runoff are responsible for the degrading of groundwater quality in the research area. In this study area, an adult consumes 3.0 L (median value) of water therefore consuming 39, 1.94, 1461, 0.14, 11.1, 292.6, 13.6, 23.5 μg of Al, As, B, Cd, Cr, Mn, Pb and U from drinking water per day respectively. The hazard quotient (HQ) value exceeded the safe limit of 1 which for As, B, Al, Cr, Mn, Cd, Pb and U at few locations while hazard index (HI) > 5 was observed in about 30% of the samples which indicated potential health risk from these tubewells for the local population if the groundwater is consumed.
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| 4. |
- Midander, Klara, et al.
(författare)
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Bioaccessibility of FERRO-chromium and ferrosilicon-chromium particles compared to pure metals and stainless steel-Aspects of human exposure
- 2010
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 12th International Ferroalloys Congress: Sustainable Future. - 9789529273409 ; , s. 43-51
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Product safety legislation requires that industry indentifies and demonstrates any human risks associated with the manufacture and use of products which are placed on the market throughout their entire life cycle. This process involves detailed assessment of potential hazards of the products/material related to health effect endpoints, and requires accurate generation and interpretation of data which can be used to determine essential characteristics of the material. Temporary or permanent adverse health effects depend either on the shape or physical characteristics of the particles, and/or on chemical interactions with the particle surface upon human exposure. Since alloys represent the most significant and widespread use of many engineering metals, it is important to develop a detailed understanding of the characteristics and behaviour of this group of materials with a minimum dependence on in-vivo testing. The aim of this presentation is to summarize generated bioaccessibility data for ferro-chromium and ferro-silicon-chromium alloys in particulate form when exposed to different synthetic biological media. The selection of test media aims to mimic relevant human exposures, as far as practical, with the focus on inhalation and subsequent ingestion of inhaled particles. The generation of bioaccessibility data combined with detailed particle and material characterization, also from a surface perspective, is essential for accurate risk assessment and understanding of potential adverse effects that may be caused by ferro-chromium and ferro-silicon-chromium alloys. For comparison, a similar approach has been conducted on particles of pure iron, pure chromium and stainless steel grade AISI 316L. Generated data is used within the framework of risk assessment on ferro-chromium and ferro-siliconchromium alloys conducted by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
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| 5. |
- Toivanen, Susanna, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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Self-Employed Persons in Sweden - Mortality Differentials by Industrial Sector and Enterprise Legal Form : A Five-Year Follow-Up Study
- 2015
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Ingår i: American Journal of Industrial Medicine. - : Wiley. - 0271-3586 .- 1097-0274. ; 58:1, s. 21-32
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectivesThis study investigated mortality differentials between self-employed persons in Sweden, considering industrial sector, enterprise characteristics and socio-demographic factors.MethodsData on 321,274 self-employed persons were obtained from population registers in Sweden. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare all-cause and cause-specific mortality rate ratios by industrial sector and enterprise legal form, adjusted for confounders.ResultsAll-cause mortality was 10–32% higher in self-employed persons in Manufacturing and Mining, Trade and Communication, and Not Specified and Other sectors than in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing. Mortality from cardiovascular disease was 23% higher in Trade and Communication, and from neoplasms 17–51% higher in Manufacturing and Mining, Not Specified, and Other. Mortality from suicide was 45–60% lower in Personal and Cultural Services, and in Not Specified. Mortality was 8–16% higher in sole proprietorship than limited partnership.ConclusionsFurther research of working conditions is warranted, considering industry and enterprise legal form. Am. J. Ind. Med. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Nilsen, Charlotta, et al.
(författare)
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Does the association between leisure activities and survival in old age differ by living arrangement?
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 0143-005X .- 1470-2738. ; 72:1, s. 1-6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Government policies to promote ageing in place have led to a growing frail population living at home in advanced old age, many of whom live alone. Living alone in old age is associated with adverse health outcomes, but we know little about whether it moderates the health impact of other risk and protective factors. Engagement in leisure activities is considered critical to successful ageing. We investigated whether the association between different types of leisure activities and survival in non-institutionalised older adults (aged 76 and above) differs by living arrangement and gender.Methods: We used the Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old study from 2011 and the Swedish Cause of Death Register (until 30 June 2014) to conduct Cox regression analyses (n=669). Incident mortality was 30.2% during the follow-up period.Results: Overall level of leisure activity was not significantly associated with survival in either living arrangement, but some specific leisure activities, and associations, were different across gender and living arrangement. More specifically, certain social activities (participation in organisations and having relatives visit) were associated with longer survival, but only in men living alone. In women, most results were statistically non-significant, with the exception of solving crosswords being associated with longer survival in women living with someone.Conclusion: In order to facilitate engagement with life, interventions focusing on leisure activities in the oldest age groups should take gender and living arrangement into consideration when determining the type of activity most needed.
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| 8. |
- Hägele, Georg, et al.
(författare)
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Situational risk assessment within safety-driven behavior management in the context of UAS
- 2020
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Ingår i: 2020 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS). - : IEEE. - 9781728142784 - 9781728142791 ; , s. 1407-1415
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper addresses the problem of hazard recognition and risk assessment in open and non-predictive environments to support decision making and action selection for UAS. Decision making and action selection incorporate decreasing situational risks and maintain safety as operational constraints. Commonly, neither existing safety standards nor the situation modeling or knowledge representation is considered in that context. This contribution applies a novel approach denoted as a Safety-Driven Behavior Management for UAS focusing on situation modeling, and the problem of knowledge representation in the context of situational risks. It combines the safety standards-oriented hazards analysis and the risk assessment approach with the machine learning-based situation recognition. The illustrative scenario and first experimental results underline the feasibility of the novel approach.
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| 9. |
- Carlsen, Hanne Krage, et al.
(författare)
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Health effects following the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption : a cohort study
- 2012
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Ingår i: BMJ Open. - : BMJ Publishing Group. - 2044-6055. ; 2:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to determine whether exposure to a volcanic eruption was associated with increased prevalence of physical and/or mental symptoms.DESIGN: Cohort, with non-exposed control group.SETTING: Natural disasters like volcanic eruptions constitute a major public-health threat. The Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull exposed residents in southern Iceland to continuous ash fall for more than 5 weeks in spring 2010. This study was conducted during November 2010-March 2011, 6-9 months after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption.PARTICIPANTS: Adult (18-80 years of age) eruption-exposed South Icelanders (N=1148) and a control population of residents of Skagafjörður, North Iceland (N=510). The participation rate was 72%.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Physical symptoms in the previous year (chronic), in the previous month (recent), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) measured psychological morbidity.RESULTS: The likelihood of having symptoms during the last month was higher in the exposed population, such as; tightness in the chest (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.1 to 5.8), cough (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.7 to 3.9), phlegm (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.3 to 3.2), eye irritation (OR 2.9; 95% CI 2.0 to 4.1) and psychological morbidity symptoms (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.7). Respiratory symptoms during the last 12 months were also more common in the exposed population; cough (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.6 to 2.9), dyspnoea (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1 to 2.3), although the prevalence of underlying asthma and heart disease was similar. Twice as many in the exposed population had two or more symptoms from nose, eyes or upper-respiratory tract (24% vs 13%, p<0.001); these individuals were also more likely to experience psychological morbidity (OR 4.7; 95% CI 3.4 to 6.5) compared with individuals with no symptoms. Most symptoms exhibited a dose-response pattern within the exposed population, corresponding to low, medium and high exposure to the eruption.CONCLUSIONS: 6-9 months after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, residents living in the exposed area, particularly those closest to the volcano, had markedly increased prevalence of various physical symptoms. A portion of the exposed population reported multiple symptoms and may be at risk for long-term physical and psychological morbidity. Studies of long-term consequences are therefore warranted.
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| 10. |
- Shah, Syed A, et al.
(författare)
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Development and validation of a multivariable mortality risk prediction model for COPD in primary care.
- 2022
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Ingår i: NPJ primary care respiratory medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2055-1010. ; 32:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Risk stratification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is important to enable targeted management. Existing disease severity classification systems, such as GOLD staging, do not take co-morbidities into account despite their high prevalence in COPD patients. We sought to develop and validate a prognostic model to predict 10-year mortality in patients with diagnosed COPD. We constructed a longitudinal cohort of 37,485 COPD patients (149,196 person-years) from a UK-wide primary care database. The risk factors included in the model pertained to demographic and behavioural characteristics, co-morbidities, and COPD severity. The outcome of interest was all-cause mortality. We fitted an extended Cox-regression model to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), used machine learning-based data modelling approaches including k-fold cross-validation to validate the prognostic model, and assessed model fitting and discrimination. The inter-quartile ranges of the three metrics on the validation set suggested good performance: 0.90-1.06 for model fit, 0.80-0.83 for Harrel's c-index, and 0.40-0.46 for Royston and Saurebrei's [Formula: see text] with a strong overlap of these metrics on the training dataset. According to the validated prognostic model, the two most important risk factors of mortality were heart failure (HR 1.92; 95% CI 1.87-1.96) and current smoking (HR 1.68; 95% CI 1.66-1.71). We have developed and validated a national, population-based prognostic model to predict 10-year mortality of patients diagnosed with COPD. This model could be used to detect high-risk patients and modify risk factors such as optimising heart failure management and offering effective smoking cessation interventions.
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